TV’s Top 10 Romantic Moments

We at EDP24 are romantic souls who love a love story: today we celebrate our love for you with 10 of TV’s most romantic moments, from Tim and Dawn getting together in The Office to April and Andy’s surprise wedding in Parks and Recreation via Doctor Who and Downton.

Matthew gets his knees wet but also gets the girl in Downton Abbey (C) ITV

Ah, Valentine’s Day, 24-hours of romance served up with a red ribbon and a rose that costs 10 times more than it will on February 15. Even if you’re single by choice or circumstance, Valentine’s Day is a love juggernaut that steams through February wreaking havoc on the loveless and delivering joy to those who’ve found their other half. It’s a day to share with that special someone whether you’re confessing your undying affection, exchanging expensive gifts, approaching the apple of your eye with an open heart (and wallet) to make your intentions clear, popping the question or popping Fifty Shades of Grey in the DVD player in a hopeful fashion.

The cynics amongst us might think the real people who come up smelling of roses on Valentine’s Day are restaurant owners, florists and jewellers - but we are not cynics, we are romantics, and will take any excuse to delve into some of TV’s soppiest moments, from the will-they-won’t-they almost romances to the big weddings, the gut-wrenching heartbreaks to the heart-soaring joy, TV is jam-packed with melting moments to make you feel weak at the knees. We’ve picked 10 lovely moments for you, because you’re worth it and we love you. Yes, even you.

Ten of TV’s most romantic moments1) Monica and Chandler get engaged (Friends, The One with the Proposal, 2000): As with the best comedies, the timeless Friends could switch from laughter to tears in the blink of an eye. These more real, rawer moments are part of what has made the sitcom so beloved both sides of the Atlantic. After initial plans to propose go awry, Chandler – desperate to keep his question-popping a surprise – convinces Monica he’s not into marriage. It all goes a little too well and Monica is soon questioning their relationship. Just when you think Chandler has lost her for good, he arrives back at their apartment to discover his beau waiting to propose to him, surrounded by candles. Emotions get the better of Monica, leading Chandler to take over. The moment is sold by Matthew Perry and Courtney Cox, aided by the picture-perfect setting and the beautiful script: “You make me happier than I ever thought I could be. And if you’ll let me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you feel the same way.”

Suddenly you're seeing me, just the way I am...Scott and Charlene's wedding in Neighbours

2) Tim and Dawn (finally) get together (The Office (UK), Christmas Special, 2003): Ricky Gervais’ critically acclaimed mockumentary sitcom had Tim (Sherlock’s Martin Freeman) and Dawn (Shaun of the Dead’s Lucy Davis) do the “will-they-won’t-they” shuffle for two series, only for Dawn to leave for Florida with fiancé, Lee. Prior to this, Tim had confessed his true feelings only for Dawn to turn him down. Blub. The show returned for a final swansong with a two-part Christmas special in 2003 with Dawn and Lee coming back for the Christmas party. Despite hopes the pair would finally get together, Dawn still left the party with Lee, though strode back in later to give Tim a smooch, signalling no more “will they” and instead a resounding “they did”.

3) Scott and Charlene’s wedding (Neighbours, Episode 523, 1988): Almost 20 milion people tuned in when Scott and Charlene’s wedding aired on UK screens in 1988. The popular couple had won the hearts and minds of fans over the course of their long-running on-off, up-down, topsy-turvy romance. Rumours that stars Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue were romancing off-screen helped things along as Scott and Charlene contested with feuding families, awful mullets and even dabbled in a spot of heroism before finally getting married in a watershed moment for the long-running Australian soap opera which was set to Angry Anderson’s ‘Suddenly’. The romantic episode featured the whole cast, who later assembled to wave the newly weds off on their honeymoon as they drove out of Ramsay Street.

4) April and Andy’s surprise wedding (Parks and Recreation, Andy and April’s Fancy Party, 2011): The best TV romances deliver moments that perfectly fit their characters - April and Andy’s romance became central to the show and delivered an aww-inducing moment in season three as the pair (played by Guardians of the Galaxy’s Chris Pratt and Legion’s Aubrey Plaza) invited their friends to a dinner party that transpired to be their surprise wedding. It’s a sentimental, poignant, silly scene, befitting of both characters and their relationship, including some heart-stoppingly cute speeches at the altar.

5) Matthew proposes to Mary (Downton Abbey, Christmas Special, 2011): From the US of A, back to Britain or, to be precise, the exceedingly British Downton Abbey. The show’s first Christmas special delivered one of its most romantic moments as the iconic, will-they-won’t-they, opposites-attract Matthew and Mary got engaged under the moonlight amid a swirl of perfectly-timed snow. The pair had overcome war, temporary paralysis, evil newspaper editors and had truly earned their big moment when it came. Mary’s insistence that Matthew needed to propose properly on one knee only added to the romance, with the cherry on top their big kiss and sheer happiness as the snow comes down around them. It’s truly one for the ages (by which we mean your Nan will like it too).

It was the moment we'd waited two series for: Tim and Dawn finally get together at The Office party

6) Kem and Chris – basically everything they did (Love Island, 2017): In a show where singletons jetted off for the promise of love and a bulkier bank account came one of the greatest bromances ever seen on the small screen thanks to Kem and Chris. From proclaiming they’d couple up together if they could, to shaving each other, to rapping (they’ve released their own single, since), to hugs, to being at a loss without each other around – they were quite something. They snuggled, they spooned, they announced they were soulmates: imagine our pain when we saw Kem call new friend Jake Quickenden Chris by mistake. Wounded.

7) The Doctor and Rose say goodbye (Doctor Who, Doomsday, 2006): Doomsday is right. TV romances don’t always conclude with sunshines and rainbows and unfortunately for David Tennant’s Doctor and Billie Piper’s Rose, there was no happy ever after. It had been obvious that the Doctor loved Rose and Rose loved the Doctor, especially during Tennant’s first series as the Time Lord. However, neither the 900-year-old alien nor the young Londoner had confessed their true feelings. After the Daleks and Cybermen did battle over London, Rose saved the day only to get stuck in a parallel universe in the process. Twelve-year-old me was traumatised and felt the heartbreak as the Doctor burnt up a sun just to say goodbye. Both Tennant and Piper deliver the waterworks as Rose tearfully confesses her love and the Doctor gears up to do the same – just as the gap closes, just before he gets to utter that immortal sentence.

8) Harry and Meghan’s engagement interview (2017): Even if we’re not getting a Bank Holiday from it (angrily shakes fist), you’d have to have a heart made of stone not to raise an indulgent smile watching Prince Harry and Meghan Markle discuss their engagement. Undeniably loved-up, the pair told tales on roast chicken attempts, the proposal, how they met and their hopes for the future. It was cutesy, sweet and the romance is sure to be on full show again when they tie the knot later in the year.

9) The Vicar’s happy ever after (The Vicar of Dibley, Christmas specials 2006-07): Dawn French’s unlucky in love Geraldine the Vicar finally got her happy ever after as the Vicar of Dibley concluded with two specials during the festive period in 2006. A tall, handsome stranger (The Hobbit’s Richard Armitage) descended on a quiet little English village to sweep the clergywoman off her feet. It’s a lovely little romantic plot as it is, packed with all the weird wonderfulness that the Vicar of Dibley had to offer. Geraldine had to show up to the wedding in her pyjamas and there were Daleks… It’s a great, sweet and satisfying end to a wonderful series.

10) “I got off the plane” (Friends, The Last One, 2004): I had to end it with this one. A will-they-won’t-they so iconic that Ross and Rachel have basically become an adjective for all other will-they-won’t-theys. After 10 seasons involving Italian guys, babies, “we were on a break!” and a raft of agonising nearly moments, Rachel got herself a new job in Paris and thus, it appeared the death knell had tolled on this bumpy romance. Steeling himself on the back of one last impulsive night together, which Rachel had deemed “a perfect way to say goodbye”, Ross raced to the airport to confess his love – only to be turned down! Crestfallen, he arrived back home to find a voicemail from his on-again-off-again love who, during the call, talks herself into getting off the plane. But we don’t know if she did step off the aircraft as the call cuts out. Ross yells: “did she get off the plane?!” only for Rachel to provide the answer: “I got off the plane”, as she appears at the door. Cue happily ever after (hopefully).